


And there was one bed

by cozypancakes



Category: Community (TV)
Genre: Humor, M/M, Oblivious Craig, Post Season 6, Romance, holiday tropes, one bed, smut in last chapter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-13
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:27:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28043157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cozypancakes/pseuds/cozypancakes
Summary: Craig and Jeffrey share a bed for two weeks during the holidays.
Relationships: Dean Craig Pelton/Jeff Winger
Comments: 32
Kudos: 91





	1. Night 0

They stood awkwardly in the room. The silence was becoming suffocating. Craig shifted his weight from one foot to the other. He felt as if he was in a badly done Christmas movie. It ticked all the boxes: Unforeseen snow storm had made them pull off the road into the nearest inn they could find. Said inn happened to have exactly one vacancy left. One vacancy with one bed.

One bed that both him and Jeffrey were staring at. 

It was silly. What did it matter if they had to share one bed? It was only for a night. The news said the storm would wear itself out by then and roads would be cleared by noon. Craig chanced a glance over at Jeffrey. His jaw was clenched, body stiff. He was staring at the bed the way he stared at paperwork. 

At some point, the silence became too much for Craig to bear. “I can, um…” he hadn’t thought through that sentence. What could he do? Sleep in the car?

“What are you gonna do?” Jeffrey asked. “Sleep in the car?” A little thrill of butterflies burst in his stomach at having Jeffrey read his mind like that. It would happen occasionally. Which was no big deal. They’d known each other for years. It was bound to happen. 

“It’s an option,” Craig suggested. His impulsive need to make Jeffrey happy would literally kill him tonight. 

Jeffrey let out a heavy sigh. “It’s fine,” he said, still glaring at the one bed. “It’s no big deal.” Craig felt like Jeffrey wasn’t talking to him but he still replied. 

“I promise I’ll behave,” Craig said. Jeffrey locked eyes with him, a look of surprise on his face. Craig almost regretted saying anything to begin with. Probably not best to remind Jeffrey that he had a hard time keeping his hands to himself. Even after, oh, eleven years of knowing each other. 

Jeffrey looked away from Craig again, fully this time. He moved to one side of the bed and started fumbling with his phone on the charger. “I’m not worried about that,” he mumbled. Craig could barely make out the words. But he was relieved to hear Jeffrey say that. He did try to respect Jeffrey’s boundaries. Craig was relieved to know that Jeffrey knew he wouldn’t cross a line. 

Craig watched as Jeffrey sat down in the bed. He looked incredibly comfy and casual in a long sleeve and sweatpants. He slowly got under the covers, shifting around until he was comfortable. 

“Are you going to just stand there?” 

Craig jumped out of his skin. He blushed and quickly turned around to turn off the main light. Here he was talking about how he’d behave and then he immediately goes and stares at Jeffrey like that. Craig was so busy internally scolding himself that he was in bed before he realized it. 

He took a moment to stare at the ceiling, hyper aware of his surroundings. The bed was meant for two but there was still hardly any room between him and Jeffrey. Craig shifted. Though he didn’t know if he was trying to get closer to Jeffrey or further away. Further away, of course. He’d said he’d behave and he would. Craig was very aware of how his heart was racing. He was being silly. It wasn’t like he was some innocent virgin. Far from it. Craig had gone to bed with more than one person at a time. He shouldn’t be sweating like a teenager right now. It was just Jeffrey. No, that wasn’t right. It was  _ Jeffrey _ . Jeffrey, the kind, sarcastic, egotistical, funny, handsome man he’d known for over a decade now. The man who’d Craig had been infatuated with, hell, in love with for years now too. And to Jeffrey, Craig was...a boss? An acquaintance? 

Craig turned on his side, back to Jeffrey. He felt the sting of tears in his eyes. He took deep calming breaths trying to regain his composure. It was silly to get worked up about this. He knew where he stood with Jeffrey. He’d known for years and he’d accepted it. He closed his eyes and snuggled into the bed. Before he knew it, morning would arrive and Craig could more easily ignore his dark thoughts. 

* * *

It was too warm. Now that Craig was awake, he could feel the stifling heat intensify. Had they left the heater on or something? Craig opened his eyes but could hardly see anything at all. He tried to move but realized there was something over his waist and right against his back. His cheeks started to burn all on their own. Jeffrey was pressed up against him, arm firmly keeping Craig in place. How many times had Craig thought of waking up like this? Selfishly, Craig let his hand fall on top of Jeffrey’s. For a moment, a moment he knew would cause him pain when it was over, Craig let himself imagine that Jeffrey had intentionally curled up around him. That Jeffrey was fully aware of what he was doing. 

Against his better judgement, Craig let himself relax into Jeffrey’s body. His hand started tracing random patterns on the back of Jeffrey’s hand while his mind played out scenarios of what their lives could be like together. They would wake up like this Christmas morning. And every morning after that. That would be nice. 

Jeffrey’s breath hitched suddenly and Craig was trying to decide how he should explain their current position. Jeff shifted in the bed, knee hitching higher up Craig’s thigh, nose nuzzling into the back of Craig’s neck. Craig’s heart pounded as he felt Jeffrey’s breath on his skin. Craig lay in the dark for several tense minutes. When he was just about to relax again, Jeffrey mumbled something. His hand twitched against Craig’s stomach. He assumed Jeffrey was in the middle of a dream. Jeffrey next let out a sound that could only be described as a moan. 

Craig felt his cheeks heat up. Jeffrey was really putting him in uncomfortable situations here. At the very least Craig didn't feel...anything against his back. Jeffrey’s hand twitched again. Craig took in a few deep breaths. This was fine. Would he think about this for months to come? Absolutely. But it was fine. He wouldn’t let himself get carried away more than usual. It was one night and tomorrow he would-

“Craig,” Jeffrey breathed out. 

His heart stopped for a moment. Had Jeffrey woken up? Was he going to be angry to find them in that position? What would Craig say? Or do? Oh god…

Once Craig’s heart rebooted for the fourth time that night, he realized Jeffrey was still asleep. But then...was Craig hallucinating? He’d definitely heard his name. Hadn’t he? Maybe he’d misheard the name whispered into his ear. Perhaps the name was...Carol or egg. Jeffrey could be dreaming of his breakfast. 

Regardless, Craig wasn’t going to waste anymore of this magical night. Shifting as little as possible, Craig got comfortable in Jeffrey’s arms and went about memorizing Jeffrey’s breathing. 

* * *

Everyone was already at the cabin. Hugs and greetings had taken a good fifteen minutes until the cold of the snow cut through the warmth of the welcome. Craig was doing a great job acting like he didn’t know that Jeffrey had spooned him the entire night. He’d woken up alone in the bed and Jeffrey hadn’t said a word about it. In fact, Jeffrey’s mood was unusually upbeat all day. Craig chalked it up to getting to meet up with everyone for the holidays. It would be two blissful weeks with the gang. 

Annie was giving them a tour of the cabin. Jeffrey was being a complete gentleman and carrying Craig’s bag for him. 

“And this is um, your room,” Annie said. 

“Whose room,” Craig asked. “Jeffrey or I?” Craig peaked into the room Annie had pointed to. It matched the antique decor of the cabin with a queen bed on a wooden frame. Red curtains blocked what Craig assumed would be a beautiful view of the snow covered forest. 

“Your room,” Annie said. Craig looked at her again but she was staring at a point between Jeffrey and Craig. He exchanged a look with Jeffrey but he was equally confused. 

“Annie?” Jeffrey asked. 

Annie’s shoulders slumped and her smile fell. “It’s not my fault, okay,” Annie defended. 

“Annie,” Jeffrey asked again but this time with more worry in his voice. 

“I had room assignments and everything,” Annie said. She pulled out a piece of paper and waved it in their face. “But then Britta brought her new boyfriend and Shirley’s oldest son decided to join at the last minute and-”

“Annie,” Jeffrey cut her off. 

“This is the only available room,” Annie finally said. Craig’s eyes widened in shock. He wasn’t sure if he should be happy or fearful of this development. 

There was a moment’s pause as Jeffrey and Craig processed the information. Annie looked between the two of them nervously. “I’ll take the couch,” Jeffrey said. 

“Shirley’s son’s boyfriend is taking the couch,” Annie explained. “Your only other option is your car and I’d rather not have to deal with any more dead bodies this holiday. Anyway, lunch will be ready in 30 minutes. See you!” 

Jeffrey opened his mouth to continue arguing but Annie made her escape before he got a syllable out. 

Craig tried to avoid eye contact with Jeffrey as he moved to the doorway. He felt Jeffrey stand next to him but was too nervous to look up to see his expression. So Craig stood there and stared at the one bed in the room. 


	2. Night 1 - Night 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you're happy @Mr_Motley -_-

**Night 1**

It was past midnight when everyone called it a night. Craig was exhausted. He usually had a regular bedtime of 9 pm, 10 pm at the very latest. But it had been the first time everyone had been together since...well Craig could hardly remember. Since, the day Troy went on his voyage around the world probably. The day had started early with a boisterous breakfast followed by a hike around the snow-covered woods and then a long evening of catching up.

It was a testament to how amazing the day had been that Craig had all but forgotten about the sleeping arrangements until he stumbled into the room and saw Jeffrey already sitting on the bed. 

“Oh,” Craig let out a surprised gasp. “Hi.”

“Hey,” Jeffrey said, looking up from his phone. 

Craig slowly closed the door, keeping a sharp eye on Jeffrey to see if he’d protest. He didn’t say anything at all. Craig fumbled around on his side of the room until his phone was on a charger and he was sitting on the bed, staring at the wall ahead of him. 

He was so tired. Before he knew it he was curled up in the warm blankets. 

“Night,” he called out to the dark room.

“Night,” Jeffrey replied sleepily. 

When Craig woke up the next morning, Jeffrey was gone and he was sprawled out in the middle of the bed. His cheeks began to burn. Had he hogged the bed the whole night? That was so embarrassing. He rolled over to grab his phone but found a note on top of it. 

_ Building snowmen near the lake. (Troy’s idea) - Jeff _

Craig smiled at the sweet note and knew he’d keep it for a long time. With renewed energy, Craig jumped out of bed to get dressed. 

* * *

**Night 2**

“You still have some on your neck,” Craig giggled. 

“Seriously?” Jeffrey grumbled. He walked over to the mirror in the corner of the room and ran the towel through his hair again. He angled his head to all the sides to see if there was any left. “Gone?” he asked Craig’s reflection in the mirror. 

“Not even close,” Craig said. “Here.” he got up on his knees and motioned Jeffrey forward. To Craig’s surprise, Jeffrey willingly walked over and handed him the towel. “I thought you showered.”

“I did!” Jeffrey exclaimed. Craig gently wiped the dried chocolate off Jeffrey’s neck. “There was no way I was getting the caramel off if I hadn’t showered.”

“Giving a whole new meaning to hot fudge,” Craig teased. Jeffrey turned his head to give Craig an exasperated look. And maybe it was the sugar rush, but Craig could’ve sworn there was a smirk pulling at his lips too. “There! All clean,” Craig announced triumphantly. 

“Thanks,” Jeffrey said. He turned to look at Craig and gave him a once over. Craig could literally feel Jeffrey’s gaze move over his body and he tried his best not to shiver. “You seem fine.” 

“That’s because I know how to clean behind my ears,” Craig joked. 

Jeffrey let out a chuckle before abruptly stopping. “Shut up,” he said. He threw the towel into the hamper and walked over to the bed. “You would have been pissed if the food fight had broken out while you were still in your outfit.”

“100%,” Craig agreed. He sat back on the bed, leaning against the pillows. He tried his best not to stare at Jeffrey too hard as he sat down, mirroring Craig’s position. “Which is why I changed when I saw Annie and Shirley pull out the ice cream.”

“Yeah, sugar and this group. We should have seen the food fight coming.” Craig scoffed. “What?” 

“You threw the first spoonful of rocky road!” Craig accused. 

“Abed said my skin looked dry,” Jeffrey defended himself. 

“So you threw ice cream at his face? In front of an actual 5 year old?”

“Troy escalated it,” Jeffrey grumbled, crossing his hands over his chest. 

Craig giggled. “Of course he’d defend his fiance!” Jeffrey gave another half laugh before turning to look at Craig. It was Craig’s turn to ask, “What?”

“Nothing,” Jeffrey said. He turned away and layed down on the bed. “I’m gonna go to sleep. I think Annie wants to do another hike tomorrow morning.”

“Since when did everyone get so outdoorsy,” Craig mused. He followed Jeffrey’s lead and turned off the lamp on the nightstand. He made himself comfortable in the bed, less self conscious about sleeping next to Jeffrey. 

“Don’t know,” Jeffrey commented. Craig opened his mouth to say good night but Jeffrey continued, “Thanks, by the way.”

“For?”

“You, um, sprayed Troy with whip cream. So, thanks.”

“Oh,” Craig replied. “Don’t mention it. He was close by. I was holding the bottle.” 

“Right,” Jeffrey responded. There was a tone to his voice. Or maybe there wasn’t and Craig was imagining things. It was dark and all Craig could listen to was Jeffrey’s voice. His mind was playing tricks on him. “Well, good night.”

“Good night,” Craig said back. 

* * *

Craig woke up slowly. He was warm and comfortable and so freaking happy. It was rare for him to be this excited to wake up. He blinked his eyes open and was met with a beautiful sight. Jeffrey was still asleep next to him, on his side facing Craig. His hair was sticking up at odd angles. His mouth was the slightest bit open as his cheek was squished against the pillow. And his hand...Jeffrey’s hand was on top of Craig’s. The touch was light and warm. A pure coincidence that they had happened to fall on top of each other in the night. 

He lay there for several more minutes, taking in Jeffrey. What must it be like? To be so freaking beautiful? He wanted to reach out and run his fingers over every line of Jeffrey’s perfect face. 

A door closed somewhere in the house, jolting Craig out of his trance. He nervously looked at Jeffrey. He was thankfully still deep in sleep. Craig reluctantly and slowly moved his hand from under Jeffrey’s. He got out of the bed with as little noise as possible. Craig let himself take in the image of Jeffrey asleep on the bed they’d both slept in before getting ready for the day. 

* * *

**Night 5**

_ “It’s not fair!” _

_ “Fair? What do you know about fair?” _

_ “Mom-” _

_ “No! You think it’s unfair that I bring your ass to this magnificent snow wonderland and you act like a child.” _

_ “I’m not a child!” _

_ “No you aren’t, but you’re acting like one!”  _

_ “You won’t listen-” _

_ “I’m the one not listening!” _

“He should not have gone there,” Craig mumbled. He glanced over at Jeffrey who looked up from his phone to give a nod. 

“How long have they been at it?” Jeffrey asked. 

“Twenty minutes,” Craig replied. 

Jeffrey let out a heavy sigh. “Shirley has at least another 15 minutes of screaming in her.” 

Craig let out a similar sigh. “Yay,” he said dully. He snuggled further under the bed. They could hear the argument going on downstairs clearly. Shirley surely didn’t seem like she would be slowing down anytime soon. “It’s not a holiday vacation without some family drama, right?”

“I guess not,” Jeffrey commented. “Holiday’s were pretty quiet when I was a kid.”

“Oh?” Craig perked up. Jeffrey rarely gave out personal information freely. 

Jeffrey kept his eyes on his phone but he continued. “Mom usually worked during holidays. I mean, we’d do stuff when she got home but it was never something like take a vacation or anything like that.”

“Any special traditions,” Craig ventured to ask. 

Jeffrey did look up from his phone this time. He stared off into the room, brow furrowed. “We’d get take out from this Italian place my mom loved. We’d eat in front of the TV in the living room and have ice cream or hot chocolate for dessert. Watch random Christmas movies and stay up way past my bedtime.” There was a soft smile on Jeffrey’s face and his body suddenly seemed more relaxed. 

“Sounds lovely,” Craig commented. Jeffrey turned to look at him, searching his face for something. Craig wasn’t sure what Jeffrey was looking for. It wasn’t as if Craig was never anything but sincere with Jeffrey. Sometimes far too sincere. 

“It was,” Jeffrey finally said, turning away. Having seen Jeffrey’s body so relaxed, Craig could tell as soon as the tension returned to his shoulders. 

Fighting back a sad smile, Craig voluntarily turned away and said his good night. Jeffrey obviously was done sharing for the time being. 

* * *

Craig was so incredibly comfortable again. He could stay in this exact position for ever and ever. He shifted to burrow further into the bed, hand coming up to grip the pillow. Well, not really pillow. Sheet? No, not a sheet either. Craig’s palm lay flat against the surface, patting it over. Definitely not a pillow. But too hard to be the mattress. And it was so wonderfully warm. The rhythmic heartbeat was lulling Craig back to sleep, making him indifferent about the surface he was currently laying on. 

Heartbeat.

Wait. 

“Enjoying yourself?” A deep voice spoke above him. 

Craig’s eyes snapped open. His body froze for a second, taking in the reality that he was laying on top of Jeffrey’s chest, legs tangled together. And the next second he was stumbling out of bed, falling over the sheets twisted around his legs. 

“Jesus, Craig, are you alright?”

Craig jumped off the floor quickly. His cheeks were hotter than the sun. “Fine, fine. I’m sorry-”

“Don’t worry about-”

“No, I, I didn’t mean to, I-” 

He knew himself well enough to hear the crack in his voice and feel the lump in his throat begin to grow. He knew the tears would be seconds behind. So he ran out of the room before Jeffrey could see. 


	3. Night 6 - Night 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So work is very hard and stressful right now. It's really frustrating that I have so little time to write when my motivation is highest! We'll see when I can next update. Hope y'all enjoy!!

**Night 6**

Craig had excused himself from the group earlier than normal. He was curled up on the edge of the bed, feigning sleep when Jeffrey showed up. Craig instinctively tightened his hold on the blankets, eyes shut tight. He’d done a decent job of avoiding Jeffrey for the day, sticking to Shirley or Annie like glue. Not that Jeffrey had been trying to corner him. It was easy to avoid someone who didn’t want to be anywhere near you. 

The bed dipped as Jeffrey got in on his side. Craig’s heart was racing. What if he did it again? What would Jeffrey think? Yes, Craig sometimes didn’t understand personal boundaries and would lay a lingering hand on Jeffrey’s shoulder or abs. He’d sometimes crack jokes about Jeffrey’s impressive physique. But there was a line, somewhere. And Craig knew that taking advantage of their circumstances this vacation was crossing that line. 

A few minutes passed and Craig waited to see if Jeffrey would say anything. Craig probably should be the one to apologize, but he knew he’d start crying as soon as the subject was brought up. 

Craig was contemplating the likelihood he could stay awake all night to avoid any unintentional cuddling when there was movement behind him. Craig’s body froze. Jeffrey shifted behind him in bed, possibly out of discomfort. Suddenly, there was an arm around Craig’s waist and he was being pulled further into the bed. Craig let out a muffled squeal of surprise. 

“You’ll fall,” Jeffrey commented. 

“Oh,” was all Craig could bring himself to say. 

He was touched that Jeffrey would care so much about keeping him safe. But then Jefffrey left his hand over Craig’s waist. He wasn’t touching Jeffrey’s body but he could feel the warmth of it right along his back. Craig wasn’t sure if this was some kind of test or-

“I’m not mad,” Jeffrey said behind him. Craig’s throat closed up as the topic was brought up. “I-it’s...it’s fine. Sometimes you can’t control it.”

Craig waited a moment to see if he’d say anything else. “When, when you’re asleep right? You can’t control it in sleep?” 

There was another stretch of silence. “Yeah, when you’re sleeping.” Jeffrey let out a small cough. “Like I said, I’m not mad.” 

“Okay,” Craig said. 

He waited for Jeffrey to pull away, point made. But he didn’t. Not at all in the night or when they woke up in that same position the next morning. 

* * *

**Night 8**

For a moment, Craig thought that they could actually continue cuddling (because that’s what it was) without any issues. It lasted one full night before that illusion was proven very much incorrect. 

Craig woke up in Jeffrey’s arms and his heart felt full and whole. He hardly cared to wonder how he’d be able to sleep alone when the vacation was over. Craig didn’t bother to try to get up. He’d spent a few more minutes in Jeffrey’s arms until either the other one woke up or Craig’s need to go to the bathroom won out. 

He took his time to try and memorize the feeling off Jeffrey’s toned arms around Craig’s body. The scratch of Jeffrey’s facial hair against the top of Craig’s bald head. The strong, solid chest against Craig’s back. The hard erection pressed against Craig’s lower back. The long legs that-wait, what? 

Craig’s body tensed as he was suddenly 100% awake. Yup, there was no mistaking that. It was definitely an erection he was feeling. 

On instinct (and fear and nerves and a strong desire to not be turned on), Craig jumped out of bed and rushed out the door. He stood in the middle of the hallway with his warring emotions and his face on fire. He was in desperate need of a cold shower. 

* * *

**Night 9**

Craig felt like he should knock on the door, which was silly considering it was also his room. But Jeffrey had missed dinner and no amount of coaxing or harassing from Shirley or Britta had brought him out of the room. He stood indecisively in front of the door. It wouldn’t be the first nor last time Craig had dealt with Jeffrey in a bad mood. 

When Craig entered the room, he found Jeffrey laying down on the bed on top of the covers. He was still fully dressed in his sweater and jeans, even shoes on. Craig tried to read the room. Was this a tough love situation or a subtle coddling situation? 

Craig went about his nightly routine. He changed into his Christmas pajamas with the reindeer pattern. He moisturized and hummed “All I want for Christmas”. He continued as he slowly got into bed next to Jeffrey. Once “All I want for Christmas” was over, Craig smoothly transitioned into “Silent Night”.

“Stop,” Jeffrey said. 

“Okay,” Craig said smoothly. “So, what happened?” 

Jeffrey continued to scowl at the ceiling. Craig began another note of “Silent Night”. “I-I got a phone call,” Jeffrey interrupted. 

“From?” 

“My dad,” he bit out. 

“Oh.” That was not what he was expecting. Though it did explain Jeffrey’s mood that day. “What did he want?” 

“To wish me a nice holiday.”

“Well, that was-”

“And ask for $500.”

“-not very nice,” Craig finished. He looked down at Jeffrey and noticed the hard lines and stiff posture. “Why’d he need the money?”

“I don’t know,” Jeffrey said. “I don’t even care. That’s not the issue.”

Craig moved down the bed so he was laying his head on the pillow, looking at Jeffrey. “What is the issue?” 

Jeffrey glanced over at him and then back up at the ceiling. Craig waited to see if Jeffrey would respond to his question. Sometimes Jeffrey was forthcoming about his troubles, other times he was standoffish and withdrawn. 

“I,” Jeffrey started. “I was happy. When he first called, you know? When I thought he was just calling to check in. I actually felt happy and it was so stupid-”

“It’s not stupid, Jeffrey.”

“It is! This man should mean nothing to me and yet I still get-” Jeffrey cut himself off, muscles in his neck straining with the force of not crying or not yelling, Craig wasn’t sure. He laid a hand on Jeffrey’s arm, rubbing soothing circles into the skin with his thumb. 

“It may not make sense, but beating yourself up for how you feel isn’t going to help anyone either.” 

Jeffrey looked at him then. He looked tired and there was a definite redness to his eyes tonight. Craig gave him a supportive smile. Jeffrey kept looking at him. Possibly even searching for something. Or maybe it was all in Craig’s head. 

“Thanks,” Jeffrey said after a moment. 

“Always,” Craig said. “And remember, it’s his loss.” 

Jeffrey chuckled. “I’m gonna go see what leftovers there are.”

“Good! You need to eat. And Shirley outdid herself with a lovely lasagna today.” Jeffrey sat up in bed and glanced back at Craig. 

“Care to join me?”

Craig had a huge, stupid smile on his face as he eagerly nodded yes. 

* * *

**Night 10**

Craig stretched this way and that. He pulled on the stupid piece of metal, but it wouldn’t budge. He tried reaching over his shoulder but his fingertips could barely touch the edge of his dress, let alone reach the zipper. He let his hands fall to his side, defeated. He glanced over at Jeffrey in the mirror who stood looking at him with his hands crossed over his shoulders. 

“Can you give me a hand?” Craig asked nicely. 

Jeffrey raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t I offer like five seconds ago?”

“Jeffrey, this is very delicate fabric, if I keep yanking at the zipper, it’ll rip and then-”

“Okay, alright, here,” Jeffrey said. He walked up behind Craig and brushed the blonde hair out of the way. “How expensive is a Mrs.Claus dress anyway?” 

“Very,” Craig repeated. Though it came out much more breathy than Craig had intended. All of a sudden his heart was racing and he was paying very close attention to the tips of Jeffrey’s fingers as they brushed against his exposed skin. Craig looked at themselves in the mirror. Craig in his blonde wig, full face of makeup, and short, red dress lined with white. In his heels, he was almost level with Jeffrey’s eyes. And then Jeffrey...he was wearing a simple black button up and black jeans yet he absolutely took Craig’s breath away. It was such a domestic setting, Jeffrey helping him out of his dress. It made Craig’s heart ache. 

Jeffrey’s breath brushed Craig’s shoulders as he continued to battle with the zipper. “Careful,” Craig reminded him. 

“I know,” Jeffrey grunted. Suddenly, the zipper finally gave way. Craig instinctively held his hand up to his chest to prevent the dress from falling to the floor. “There,” Jeffrey said triumphantly as he pulled it down Craig’s back, knuckles brushing Craig’s exposed skin. Craig took in a shaky breath. Jeffrey rested his hand on Craig’s hip, thumb rubbing against the fabric. Craig felt faint. “You’re right. It is nice material.” 

“Yeah,” Craig all but moaned. Craig stared at their reflection. For a fleeting moment, it seemed like Jeffrey was leaning in towards Craig. Like he was inches away from placing his lips on Craig’s shoulders and neck. But it was all in Craig’s head. The next moment Jeffrey cleared his throat and stepped away from Craig. Craig stood in front of the mirror and willed his crazy, overactive imagination to quiet down. The holiday was almost over. He would get through it without completely making a fool of himself. 

* * *

**Night 11**

“If you keep fidgeting with it, you’ll break it,” Jeffrey chided. 

“I’m not fidgeting,” Craig argued. He held his wrist up to his face, moving it this way and that to look at how the bracelet, the bracelet Jeffrey had gifted him, glimmered in the low light. It was a thin, gold bracelet with a gold C and a small little diamond on the chain. It was beautiful and Craig absolutely loved it. And yes, maybe he had spent more time than was absolutely appropriate staring at it today, but who could blame him? He’d never gotten anything so special before. 

“It’s not even real,” Jeffrey said for the tenth time that day. Craig looked up at him with a knowing look in his eye. Of course it was real. Craig could tell right away. But if Jeffrey needed to say it was fake, to diminish the thought and value of his gift, then Craig would give him that. 

“I don’t care,” Craig said honestly. “It’s beautiful and I love it. I’m never taking it off.” Jeffrey said nothing to that as he got into bed next to Craig. Craig turned around and opened the drawer in the nightstand. He pulled out a meticulously wrapped present and handed it to Jeffrey. 

“You already got me a gift,” Jeffrey said, looking between Craig and the outstretched gift. 

“The fact that you actually thought I’d gift you cloth napkins is offensive, Jeffrey,” Craig deadpanned. 

“I liked the cloth napkins,” Jeffrey mumbled. 

“Well, yes, but it’s not worthy of a Christmas gift. This on the other hand-here, open it,” Craig said excitedly. He was a little nervous about this gift, which is why he thought it best to give it to Jeffrey in private. 

He watched Jeffrey take the package and slowly unwrap it. He turned it over to look at the cover and Craig watched as his eyes widened. “Is this-” Jeffrey asked. He ripped the rest of the paper off and held the book delicately in his hands. 

“Do you like it?” Craig asked. “I know how much you love space but I don’t see you read much….there are some really cool pictures in there, plus interviews with astronauts. The gift receipt is also in there if you don’t-”

“I love it,” Jeffrey said honestly. He gently opened the book to a random page and began flipping through slowly. 

“Really?” Craig asked. He always found Jeffrey’s fascination with space and astronauts adorable, but knew Jeffrey was touchy on the subject. 

“Craig, it’s perfect,” Jeffrey said. He looked over at Craig and smiled. A real, genuine smile that was in no way a smirk. Craig felt his heart about ready to burst with love and adoration. This man really held his heart in the palm of his hand and- “Thank you, really. It’s amazing.” Craig watched Jeffrey settle into the pillows as he continued to read through the book. His hand found his own present, feeling the cool metal. This was, without a doubt, the best Christmas ever. 

* * *

They woke up curled around each other again. It was normal to do that now and the fact made Craig’s heart ache again as he mentally counted how many more nights he’d have with Jeffrey. It was rare for them to wake up at the exact same time though. 

“Morning,” Jeffrey said. His arm was still around Craig and their legs were still tangled together. Their faces were so close together and Jeffrey’s eyes looked different so early in the morning. 

“Good morning,” Craig said, though his mind was riddled with thoughts. He was playing out all the scenarios in his head of what it would be like to lean forward and-

Jeffrey’s hand came up to cup Craig’s cheek. Craig shivered under the warm touch. His eyes closed for a second before remembering where he was and how this was not one of his fantasies or daydreams. 

“Jeffrey?” Craig asked. Jeffrey’s eyes looked down at Craig’s lips. Unmistakable that’s what had just happened-was happening. Jeffrey was staring at his lips and out of no thought of his own Craig felt his lips part in shock or invitation. Jeffrey’s hand moved down slightly to grip the back of Craig’s neck and he was being pulled forward as Jeffrey leaned down. 

It was a light, short kiss. Their lips barely touched before Jeffrey pulled back an inch. Craig’s eyes were half closed, mind racing. And then Jeffrey leaned forward again and this time it was a real kiss. There was a warm pressure against Craig’s mouth, Jeffrey’s lips starting to gently move against his own. Craig was so in shock that he hardly dared to move, hardly dared to snap Jeffrey out of whatever illusion he was under at the moment. That is, until he felt Jeffrey’s tongue trace his bottom lip. Craig let out an embarrassingly needy moan. And his body remembered how to move. Craig’s hands came up to touch Jeffrey’s face and he started moving his lips against Jeffrey. Jeffrey’s hand moved from Craig’s neck to wrap around Craig’s waist, bringing him as close as humanly possible to Jeffrey’s body. Craig moaned again at feeling Jeffrey all over him. Jeffrey licked his lips again and Craig happily opened his mouth, tongue moving against Jeffrey’s. His hands wrapped around Jeffrey’s neck. He ran his fingers through Jeffrey’s soft hair. Jeffrey shifted their intertwined bodies so that Craig’s back was on the bed and Jeffrey was pressing him down. 

Just when Craig was considering, maybe, grinding his hips against the erection he could feel, Jeffrey was pulling away. Craig was taking big breaths, trying to find his senses. 

“Sorry, I-I shouldn’t have,” Jeffrey said. 

“What…” Craig couldn’t even form words. He’d been flying a second ago but now was the bone crashing fall to reality. Had Jeffrey not meant that? What was he saying? What was happening?

“Sorry, I’m sorry,” Jeffrey mumbled as he got off the bed. He was out the door before Craig could form a full thought. 


	4. Night 12 - Night 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little late for Christmas but work kicked my butt last week and of course my anxiety acted up really badly Christmas morning. Hope y'all have been able to get some rest this holiday season!

**Night 12**

It was late. Like really late. Like the house was silent because everyone was tucked away in bed late. And yet, there Craig was. In the cold bed completely alone. He was staring up at the dark ceiling. He kept getting up and making it as far as the door before dragging himself back to the bed. Jeffrey could actually be out there attempting to sleep in his car for all he knew. Craig couldn’t live with himself if anything happened to Jeffrey. Which was why he almost went out to check on him five separate times now. Each time he realized that it was only an excuse to see Jeffrey. No way would anyone out there let Jeffrey sleep in his car. 

Craig turned over on his side, staring at the empty space beside him. There was a sharp pain in his chest. He quickly turned over to the other side, eyes shut tight. 

* * *

**Night 13**

Craig was really trying to act like everything was okay during the day. Jeffrey acted like he didn’t exist but Craig smiled and laughed and acted like his heart wasn’t breaking. Yet he still excused himself before 8 pm. He sat in his bed trying to get lost in some netflix show. 

After about a half hour of this, there was a knock on his door. HIs heart jumped in his throat. Could it be-

“Craig,” came Annie’s voice from the other side. “Can I come in?” 

“Sure,” Craig replied. He didn’t want to seem rude. He put the laptop off to the side and watched as Annie hesitantly sat at the foot of the bed. “What’s wrong, Annie? You look sad.”

Annie tugged at her fingers nervously. “Well, I-I’m so sorry, Craig,” Annie exclaimed. 

“Sorry? For what?” Craig asked, concerned. Annie looked truly distraught. She suddenly got up from her seat and started pacing the room. 

“I really thought it would work, you know,” Annie began. “I never would have done it if I hadn’t thought it would-” She gestured vaguely at the air “-you know?” 

‘Um,” Craig said, “I’m trying to. You have to fill in the blanks.”

Annie stopped her pacing and turned to look at him. “This was supposed to be my room. I took your and Jeff’s room so that you two would be forced to be here all vacation. I lied about this being the only room available.” 

Craig’s mouth was wide open. “Annie,” he admonished. 

“I know, I know. I’m really sorry. Jeff said it was a bad idea and I didn’t listen to him. I really thought you two would finally realize your in love with each other if-”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Craig said, waving his arms around. “Jeffrey  _ knew _ ?” 

“Yeah, he did,” Annie said. “He’s been sleeping on the other bed in my room these past two nights. He won’t tell me what happened but he feels really bad about it. That much I can tell.” 

It was like a dagger to the heart. The tears were already prickling his eyes. “He…” Craig couldn’t even get the words out. Jeffrey felt bad about what happened… what else did Craig expect? Of course he regretted it. 

“Craig,” Annie asked gently. She sat back down on the bed. “What happened?” 

Craig rubbed at his eyes, forcing the tears back. “He kissed me,” Craig let out in a whisper. 

“Oh,” Annie said. Craig stared down at his hands, not wanting to see Annie’s expression. “You both are idiots.”

“What?” 

“Jeff is over there beating himself up about taking advantage of you and here you are sad that he ran away after kissing you! That’s what happened, right?” 

Craig blinked at her for a moment. “How...how was he taking advantage of me?” 

“Beats me. But he’s been moping around after Christmas. Can you please knock some sense into him?” 

“Right, sure,” Craig said. His head was still spinning with all the new information. 

“Great! Well, I’ll let you get some rest,” Annie said. She got up from the bed and started walking towards the door. 

“Actually,” Craig called out. “Could you tell Jeffrey I need to talk to him?” 

Annie gave him a warm smile. “I’ll send him right over.” 

Craig’s mind was racing. Annie’s bedroom was down the hall. Jeffrey would be here within the minute. He glanced over at his suitcase. Should he? No, it was a stupid idea. But...Jeffrey had  _ wanted  _ to sleep next to him...If there was ever a moment to put all the cards on the table, it would be now. 

He jumped out of bed and quickly searched through his luggage. He took off his pajamas and changed into the one silk, lacey nightgown he’d brought. One could never be unprepared, after all. It was red and extremely short. Craig could only glance at himself in the mirror for a second before the door opened. 

Jeffrey stood at the doorway with a shocked expression. Craig spun around to face him. Watching Jeffrey’s reaction was so different now. Craig could almost believe that there was a small fire in Jeffrey’s gaze as his eyes wandered down his pale legs. Jeffrey slowly closed the door behind him. 

“Hi,” Craig said. 

Jeffrey cleared his throat. “Hey.”

“So, I, uh, had an interesting conversation with Annie,” Craig said. Jeffrey’s shoulders tensed. 

“Oh?” he replied. He was not taking the bait. 

“Yeah, and here I was worried that you were sleeping on the floor now.”

Jeffrey let out a deep sigh. “I can explain, okay? It was Annie’s idea but I should’ve said something. I’m sorry.” 

“Why are you apologizing?” Craig asked. “I’m not upset with you.”

“You should be!” Jeffrey exclaimed. “I-I practically took advantage of you and the situation and-”

“Well,” Craig interjected, taking various steps towards Jeffrey, “maybe I want you to take advantage of me.” And as if the whole thing was perfectly choreographed, one of the thin straps fell from his shoulder. He watched Jeffrey’s eyes fall down to his exposed collarbone. Maybe it was the fact that Craig had goosebumps all over from wearing a nightie in this weather or there was actually a tension in the air. 

“Craig,” Jeffrey said, strained. Craig stopped right in front of Jeffrey, looking up at him with his most innocent face. 

“Yes, Jeffrey?” 

He didn’t respond. Instead he reached up to readjust the nightgown’s strap on his shoulder. Jeffrey’s fingers were warm on his skin. Craig let out a shaky breath at the touch. He could see the strain in Jeffrey’s neck as he swallowed. “Are you sure about this?” Jeffrey asked. His hand came to rest on Craig’s shoulder. 

Feeling bold, Craig rested his own hands against Jeffrey’s chest. “Sure of what?” Craig asked. 

“That you...really want to do this. And it’s not just…”

“I’ve been pining for over a decade now, Jeffrey. And not doing a good job of hiding it, mind you. Nothing’s changed on my end. If anything, getting to actually kiss you has made my feelings even harder to hide. I should be asking you if you really want to…”

“I really want to,” Jeffrey said at once. Craig’s heart skipped a beat. 

“Then why don’t you do something about it?” 

“Because,” Jeffrey began. His other hand came up to rest at the center of Craig’s back. Craig took a half step towards Jeffrey. His body heat was so inviting and the smell of him was a familiar sent by now. “I’m not good at relationships. I hurt people and I don’t want to do that.” 

“Well,” Craig said carefully. He was being pulled in by Jeffrey, unconsciously leaning up on his tiptoes to get closer to Jeffrey. “Right now it hurts to be so close and not have you. Besides, some things are worth the pain.”

“But-”

“Jeffrey, shut up and kiss me,” Craig breathed out. 

Luckily, that was all the persuading Jeffrey needed. He covered the two inches of space that separated them, pulling Craig’s body flush against his own. Jeffrey’s lips were warm and soft and moved oh so good against his own. The hand that had been on his shoulder moved to cup the back of his neck. Craig moaned at the touch and happily let Jeffrey re-angle his head so he could slip his tongue into Craig’s mouth. 

Craig dragged his hands up Jeffrey’s chest, feeling every hard muscle. His hands curved over Jeffrey’s shoulders and then made their way into Jeffrey’s soft hair. Craig's toes were barely grazing the floor from how tightly Jeffrey had him pressed to his body. Craig pulled away an inch to mumble against Jeffrey’s lips, “Bed.”

It sent a thrill down Craig’s spine to hear Jeffrey groan at the suggestion. They slowly started walking back towards the bed, still entwined in each other, still kissing the life out of each other. When the backs of his thighs finally met the bed, Craig let himself fall against the mattress. He bent his legs and beckoned Jeffrey forward with a crook of his finger. Jeffrey slowly crawled on top, keeping himself hovering over Craig. 

“We, uh, don’t have to do this, you know,” Jeffrey said. “If it’s too fast-”

“Trust me, no need to stop on my account,” Craig breathed out. “But if you’d prefer to-”

“I didn’t bring any protection…” 

Craig gave a sheepish smile. “I have some. Condoms and lube.”

Jeffrey raised an eyebrow. “Expecting to get some action this holiday?” 

“Jealous?” Craig teased. 

“Yeah, I am,” Jeffrey said. “One of my many flaws.” 

Craig rolled his eyes. “Wait here.” He pushed past Jeffrey and ran towards his suitcase. He grabbed condoms and his mini to-go bottle of lube. He scurried back to the bed; it was harder to ignore the cold now. 

The sight of a shirtless Jeffrey on the bed made him pause. “You’re gonna freeze if you don’t get over here,” Jeffrey said, holding up the blankets in invitation. Craig wanted to take a moment to pinch himself, make sure this was all real. But the biting cold was enough of a check. Craig jumped into bed beside Jeffrey. 

Jeffrey pulled the blanket over the two of them completely. Craig was thrilled to feel Jeffrey push him down into the mattress and begin passionately kissing him again. Craig left the items off to the side so he could occupy his hands with exploring Jeffrey’s naked chest. It wasn’t completely unfamiliar terrain for him. He’d seen and felt enough of it over the years. But never like this, never in the throes of passion. 

Jeffrey’s mouth moved down Craig’s jawline and to Craig’s neck. “Jeffrey,” Craig moaned as Jeffrey bit into the sensitive skin. The temperature under the blankets was quickly rising. Craig was very much enjoying the complete darkness and the overwhelming sensation of Jeffrey being all over him. Craig clung to Jeffrey’s back as he sucked marks into Craig’s neck. Obviously the comment about being the jealous type was as real as the comments about Craig enjoying pain. Craig moved his legs so Jefrey’s hips fit more snuggly in between his legs. He let out a moan when he felt Jeffrey’s hand on his bare thigh, dragging his fingertips up his skin and under the nightgown. 

Jeffrey groaned against his skin, pulling back to whisper into Craig’s ear, “Did you always sleep without underwear?” 

The question would have made Craig blush if he wasn’t already flushed from head to toe. “No,” Craig breathed out. Jeffrey’s had moved further to grope his bare ass. Craig moaned and bit his lip. “Just tonight,” he added. Jeffrey’s tongue licked and nipped his earlobe as his hand started pushing Craig’s hips up into Jeffrey’s erection. “Jeffrey,” Craig moaned. Jeffrey moved down Craig’s chest again, He kissed Craig’s exposed skin before licking his nipple over the red silk. Craig dug his nails into Jeffrey’s back, moaning at the sensation. Jeffrey continued to tease him. He licked and sucked on Craig’s nipple and then moved on to the other one. Craig hardly realized he was feverishly grinding his hips until Jeffrey let out a particular deep moan. He pulled Jeffrey’s face up by his hair so he could kiss him again. He wrapped his legs around Jeffrey’s hips, determined to have them both lose their minds with the friction. 

It was hard to breath under the sheets now and Craig could hardly remember how it felt to be cold anymore. There was a click of the bottle that drew Craig’s attention. Jeffrey pulled back. Craig could feel his labored breath on his face. 

“How do you want to do this?” Jeffrey asked. 

“What do you mean?” 

Jeffrey scoffed. “I mean, who's going to top?” 

Craig took a moment to process that. “You mean, you’d...you’d let me…”

“If you want to, yes,” Jeffrey said. Craig’s brain short circuited. “Craig?” Another pause. “If you’re not interested-”

“No,” Craig quickly said. Jeffrey chuckled at his behavior. “I am, definitely. I wasn’t expecting that offer. But I also kinda expected to be fucked into the mattress tonight so…”

“So another night?”

“Absolutely,” Craig agreed. 

“So, missionary style then? Didn’t expect you to be so...conservative,” Jeffrey teased. Craig could hear him coating his fingers. His entire body pulsed in unison with his throbbing cock.

“It’s our first time,” Craig said. “No need to go crazy. Having Jeffrey Winger inside of me will be overwhelming enough.” 

Jeffrey shifted and soon had one finger inside of Craig. Followed by another and another. Jeffrey kissed him senseless throughout this. Craig took the time to explore Jeffrey’s chest some more. When he brushed against a nipple, Jeffrey’s controlled pace stuttered and he hit Craig’s prostate, hard. Craig’s breath caught in his throat. He grazed the nipple again and felt Jeffrey’s body tense up. 

“Fuck, you really want to stop doing that,” Jeffrey groaned. 

“Why would I do that,” Craig asked as he flicked the nipple again. 

Jeffrey removed his fingers from inside Craig. In one second, he had both of Craig’s hands pinned above his head. “Because,” Jeffrey started, as he aligned himself against Craig’s opening. “I’m already far too close. At least let me last a little longer.” 

“And you said missionary would be- Ah!” Craig moaned as Jeffrey slid into him. The pace was slow and hard. That and having his hands pinned down against the mattress and the blankets making it hard to catch his breath had Craig right up to the edge from the start. He moaned and withered under Jeffrey’s body, keeping pace with the erratic thrusts Jeffrey now gave. Jeffrey’s face was in the crook of Craig’s neck, occasionally kissing or biting but perfect angle to groan into Craig’s ear. The old wooden bed started creaking under their movements. Craig spared a thought to all their friends somewhere in the house and how loud they were being, but then Jeffrey thrust into him again and Craig forgot his own name. 

Jeffrey shifted his weight and soon had his free hand wrapped around Craig’s leaking cock. One, two, five strokes was all it took for Craig to be cumming all over his chest. It was pure bliss as his orgasm ran through his whole body. 

When he came down to reality, Jeffrey was frantically thrusting in and out of him. The overstimulation was exquisite and Craig shivered and moaned. He pulled at his hands but Jeffrey kept his grip firm. Craig was undeterred. He’d make Jeffrey cum. Craig tightened his hold around Jeffrey’s hips. Craig purposefully began clenching every time Jeffrey thrusted in. 

“Fuck, shit,” Jeffrey moaned against Craig’s neck as he came. 

Jeffrey let his weight fall on top of Craig as he regained his breath. Craig pulled the blankets back until they could both breath in some fresh air. The cold made him shiver, but Craig hugged Jeffrey’s warm body to him. 

“That was amazing,” Jeffrey breathed out. He moved to kiss Craig’s cheek before getting up to discard the condom. “Fuck it’s cold.” Jeffrey crawled back into bed beside Craig, who was still trying to recover from his orgasm. He let Jeffrey pull him into his warm body, snuggling into his chest. 

“Yeah, it was,” Craig finally replied. They were both asleep within seconds. 

* * *

**Night 14**

There was a sad air in the cabin tonight. Their bags were packed yet no one was quite ready to say goodbye again. Two weeks had passed by. It was very late when Craig and Jeffrey were in bed together. Part of Craig wanted to fall asleep right away. Another part of him knew there was something that needed to be said before they headed back to Greendale in the morning. 

“So,” Craig started, turning to look at Jeffrey. Jeffrey put down his phone and looked his way. “You know how, um, everyone has been asking all day what are we now…”

“Yeah,” Jeffrey replied, unhelpful. 

“I was wondering...if you had an answer to that,” Craig finished. 

“You mean other than ‘fuck off and mind your own business’,” Jeffrey joked. 

Craig rolled his eyes though he couldn’t help but smile. “Yes, other than that since it is very much my business.” 

Jeffrey turned to face Craig and wrapped his arms around his waist. He pulled Craig in until they were pressed against each other. Jeffrey kissed him long and deep. If Jeffrey had been trying to avoid the question, he did a good job. Craig could hardly remember he’d asked anything before Jeffrey started talking again. 

“I’d like to be your boyfriend, though we haven’t had a proper date yet. So I guess we’ll have to do that first,” Jeffrey said, seriously. 

Craig’s heart was soring. “Boyfriend?” 

“But first a date,” Jeffrey repeated. “Movie, dinner, hell, maybe even dancing.”

“Dancing? Really?” Craig asked excitedly. 

“Yes, if you want,” Jeffrey replied. “You’ll get the full Winger treatment.” 

Craig raised an eyebrow. “Including ignoring all my texts and calls afterward?” 

“Okay, a modified Winger treatment.” 

Craig kissed him again because there was no way he could properly express his joy otherwise. “So, does this mean I have to cancel my date for Britta’s New Year’s Eve party?” 

Jeffrey’s eyes widened. “You had a date?” he exclaimed. 

“Of course,” Craig said. “You can’t go to these sorts of things alone!” 

“Who?”

Craig waved him off. “Doesn’t matter. It wasn’t anything serious.” 

“Who?” 

Craig kissed him. His hands wandered down to Jeffrey’s chest, teasing his nipples before moving further south. Jeffrey pulled back from the kiss. “Who?” he asked, though his voice was breathy and had no bite to it. Craig’s hand found Jeffrey’s hard on and began stroking him over his sweatpants. 

“Do you really want to keep talking?” Craig asked. 

“We promised Shirley we’d be quiet,” Jeffrey reminded him. 

“I can be quiet,” Craig said. Jeffrey scoffed. “I can be! Especially if I have something in my mouth.” He gave a hard squeeze to Jeffrey’s erection to prove his point. Jeffrey’s eyes fluttered closed and a small curse slipped from his lips. It was the most beautiful sight he’d ever seen and Craig knew he could get used to it really quickly. He took a moment to marvel at how much things had changed in the span of two weeks before moving under the covers. He was a tease but he always followed through. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I need help choosing my next multi-ch fic for deanjeff! I have many, many ideas and I love them all. I thought it might be fun if one of you chose my next fic. Either through tumblr ask or as a comment here, put a number 1-20 by Saturday and I'll use a random number generator to pick a winner. That person will pick out of three ideas which one should be my next project. Thanks everyone, hope you enter!

**Author's Note:**

> Hopefully not the only holiday trope that I will be doing this month. Might pause my multi chapter fic to put out one or two more holiday tropes. Thank you for the suggestions I've gotten on tumblr! Feel free to drop more holiday tropes @cozypancakes506 in case I need more fuel. In the meantime, I have a particular idea in mind for the next holiday fic. Wish me luck!


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